Galvanic battery.



Price.,

CHARLES B. SCHOENMEHL, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THEWATERBURY BATTERY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GALVAN IQ BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 664,006, datedDecember 18, 1900. Application led March 22, .1900. Serial No. 9,680.(No model.)

Heretofore in batteries of the above class it has been difficult todetect their true condition after they have been in use for a littlewhile without the employment of a gage or other instrument, owing to thefact that the oxid of copper has been retained within a zonon-transparent cup, and, furthermore, that the binding-Wire connectionthereto has been so attached as to permit of a uniform action orcoloration of the copper within said cup.

lt is therefore the object of my invention z 5 to particularly improveupon the negative element of batteries of this class by producing it insuch a manner as to permit of the convenient detection of its condition,and especially so after the battery has been in use.

3o' With the above objects in view my invention resides and consists inthe novel construction and combination of parts illustrated upon theaccompanying sheet of drawings, forming a part of this specification,upon which similarcharacters of reference denote like or correspondingparts throughout the several iigures, and of which- Figure l shows avertical cross-sectional View through a transparent battery-jar and 4oshowing in side elevation my improved negative pole attached thereto.Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross-section of the construction of thenegative pole shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View toFig. 1, butillustrating a modified form of construction of the con-Anection for the binding-wire. n

Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon thedrawings, A indicates a battery-jar which may be of any de- 5o siredshape and preferably formed of transparent material, such as glass. Bindicates a metallic cover to said jar, and to this cover a zinc elementC is suspended through the medium of its wire-binding posts D, the samebeing insulated from the cover by rubber washers E. The clamp-nut F isadjustably attached to the upper threaded end of the post in a manner topermit of the ready attachment of one of the field-wires for operation.6o

The negative element, as will be apparent, consists of a transparentcylindrical body G, which when formed contains two open ends. Inpractice these ends are suitably closed by perforated sheet-tin disks,as indicated, the lower one, H, being provided with a liange to receivetheend of the glass tube, as clearly appears in the drawings. The upperend piece I is also perforated .and in practice is adapted to fit insidecf the tube and be adjusted 7o against the oXid. The two end pieces whenassembled together with the tube form an inclosure in which theoXid-of-copper element J is retained. These two metallic end disks areretained in place through the medium of a central rod K, the head ofwhich engages the lower one, While the nut L serves to bind against theupper end piece and clamp it down firmly against the copper elementbefore referred to. 'The central rod J between 8o the two plates isinsulated, as shown, by means of a rubber tube M, which encircles saidrod and protects it from engagement with the copper scale. It will thusbe apparent that the electrical contact between the rod and pole J canonly be made through the medium of the metal end plates beforementioned. This fact, as will be apparent, insures the double actionupon the copper, beginning at the opposite ends of the tube and 9olgradually working inward as the ingredient is consumed. This oXid ofcopper in practice undergoes a transformation of color when acted upon,turning from black to a dull red. This coloration is obviously visiblethrough the transparent cylindrical body G and in practice discloses twoouter reddish-colored sections of decomposed copper and a central blackbelt N of greater or less width, thus showing the amount of copperconsumed and loo also the proportion yet available for action, it beingunderstood that the black belt of copper gradually narrows up with useuntil it diminishes entirely,whereupon the battery will become inactive.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings there is shown a spiral spring O, interposedbetween the end disk I and the nut L, which forms a desirable electricalconnection between the rod and said disk,it being obvious that by makingthe contact with the disk well out toward the edgea more uniform actionupon the copperis probable.

The pole of the negative element is preferably suspended from the coverthrough the wire J, which is provided with suitable insulating-washers,nuts, and a thumb-nut P.

From the above description it will be noted Athat the condition of mybattery may readily be detected by a single glance from the exte-` rior,since the condition of the negative pole is obviously visibley throughthe outer jar, as well as the solution contained therein. If for anyreason a more minute observation ofthe negative pole may be desired, itcan readily be removed and inspected by simply lifting off the cover,thus obviating the necessity of applying registeringgages or likeinstruments.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. A negative pole for a battery the same comprising a tubular body,perforated conducting-disks to inclose the ends thereof, a binding-rodforming a metallic connection with the two disks, a suitable insulationaround the periphery of said rod .between said disks, an oXid-of-copperelement within said tube and means for attaching said negative elementto a battery-jar.

2. In a negative element for a battery, the

combination with a transparent receptacle having perforated metal platessituated at the top and bottom thereof,a binding-rod connecting saidplates, and provided with an insulating-cover,and an oXid-of-copperelement within said jar, located between said plates, substantially asshown and described.

3. A negative element for a battery the same comprising a transparenttube, perforated metallic plates inclosing the ends of said tube,a metalbinding-rod in metallic connection with said plates and provided withmeans for attachment to the cover of a jar, an oxid-of-copper elementwithin said tube, and an insulating-covering between the copper oxid androd, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A negative element for a battery, the same comprising atransparentjar open at two ends, perforated metal plates for inclosingsaid ends, an oXid-of-copper element within said jar, a rod connectingsaid ends and an adjustable spring for retaining the end covers downfirmly upon the oxid of copper.

5. A negative element for a battery comprising a transparent jar havingtwo open ends, an oXid-of-copper element in said jar, perforated metalend covers for said jar, one adapted to cover the lower end while theother is adapted to adjustably lit into the opposite end of the jar, arod connecting the two, and an adjustable nut for clamping the coverdown upon the oXid-of-copper elelnent, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, this 19th day ofMarch, A. D. 1900, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. SCI-IOENMEHL.

Witnesses:

C. M. NEWMAN, EDWARD K. NICHOLSON.

